How can you manage the transformations in your skin, body and hormonal shifts? How can skincare meet both the mother’s needs and the baby’s health?
In response to possible skin issues during pregnancy and nursing, we’ve curated specific tips and recommendations to assist soon-to-be moms in maintaining refined and healthy skin during the pregnancy and breastfeeding period.
1. Dryness and Lack of Hydration During Pregnancy
When you’re expecting, making sure your baby gets the hydration and nutrients they need can sometimes leave your skin feeling a bit dry. It’s crucial to take care of your skin. Try not to overdo the baths — twice a day is plenty. And when you do indulge, keep it short and avoid hot water bath. If you’re out and about, be sure to shield yourself from the sun with a reliable sunscreen. Slather on some sunscreen and throw on a hat or use an umbrella for that extra shade.
Recommended Cleanser: Dr. Hauschka’s Cleansing Balm
This Gentle Cleansing Balm suits various skin types. Infused with almond oil, birch, and white clay, it moisturizes your skin, leaving it radiant post-cleansing. This multi-purpose product functions as a makeup remover, cleanser, and skincare treatment. Its gel-like consistency transforms into a nourishing emulsion, effectively removing impurities, sunscreen, and residual makeup.
Recommended Serum:
Woods_ Hydra Face Serum
This concentrated, anti-wrinkle hydrating serum is made of 99% natural ingredients, ensuring quick skin absorption. With organic carrageenan extract, it helps reduce skin moisture loss. The formula utilizes natural seaweed, fermented marine extracts, and aloe to form a thin protective layer on the skin, providing lasting nourishment and vitality.
Recommended Eye Cream: Dr. Hauschka’s Daily Hydrating Eye Cream
Specifically designed to smooth, hydrate, and rejuvenate delicate eye skin. The skin around the eyes is prone to wrinkles and dryness. This eye cream, with its high water content and lightweight texture, is easily absorbed. It includes rose distillate water combined with avocado, Hawaiian nut, and sea buckthorn oils, ensuring ample hydration, nourishment, and firmness.
Recommended Moisturizer:
Evolve Beauty’s Day & Night Renew Facial Cream Duo
This cream duo is your ultimate winter skincare shield, restoring your skin’s natural radiance. The daytime cream contains natural hyaluronic acid, organic Moroccan argan oil, and natural peptides for improved skin texture and powerful hydration. The nightly cream aids in detoxifying and renewing skin cells while moisturizing. It includes natural peony extracts to enhance cell vitality and prevent signs of aging.
2. Managing Acne Breakouts and Pore Enlargement During Pregnancy
Pregnancy hormones can increase oil secretion, leading to acne breakouts. It’s crucial to drink plenty of water, reduce sugar intake, consume more fruits and vegetables and avoid factors that cause skin inflammation. Additionally, refrain from using overly harsh cleansing products; excessive oil removal can paradoxically make your skin oilier. Opt for skincare products with milder formulas.
Recommended Cleanser:
Woods_ Aloe Foaming Face Cleanser
This 100% natural foaming cleanser effectively removes impurities while gently cleansing the skin. Aloe vera soothes and nurtures the skin, while cucumber extract provides a cooling effect, leaving the skin clean, refreshed, and without tightness or dryness. Concentrate on massaging areas prone to pore blockages (such as the nose, chin, hairline, and jawline), then rinse thoroughly with warm water and a damp cloth.
Recommended Mask:
UpCircle Beauty’s Kaolin Clay Facial Mask
Ideal for acne-prone skin! This natural mask exfoliates and nourishes the skin. Its primary ingredient, kaolin clay, gently and effectively extracts impurities from the skin, cleansing pores and excess oil while addressing blackheads and promoting skin cell regeneration. Other natural ingredients include soothing chamomile and fine olive powder particles for gentle exfoliation, leaving the skin soft and smooth.
Recommended Toner:
Dr. Hauschka’s Clarifying Toner
Containing ingredients like daisy, calendula, and nasturtium, this toner helps balance oil secretion and soothe skin redness and inflammation. Whether you’re experiencing acne outbreaks, enlarged pores, or oily skin, this toner awakens your skin’s self-repair capability gently. Besides using it after cleansing in the morning and evening, you can spritz it throughout the day for a refreshing boost, maintaining a radiant complexion.
3. Sensitive Skin, Redness, and Itchiness During Pregnancy
Hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy may lead to sensitive skin, causing itchiness and redness. It’s advisable to wear loose and soft clothing to minimize skin friction. Regularly change bedsheets and maintain personal hygiene. Avoid scratching; instead, gently pat or use a cold, damp cloth to cool the affected area when itching. Similarly, opt for skincare formulas that are gentle and free from artificial fragrances to minimize skin irritation.
Recommended Cleanser:
Skin Sapiens’ Natural Oat Cleansing Gel
Designed for sensitive skin, the formula incorporates nourishing oat oil to ensure the removal of daily accumulated dirt and impurities without stripping the skin of its natural oils. The fragrance-free and non-irritating properties help reduce the risk of skin sensitivity and discomfort. Fourteen of the gentlest, plant-derived cleansing ingredients are used to help the skin maintain its natural moisture.
Recommended Toner:
Lavera Basis Sensitiv Organic Soothing Toner
A gentle toner that helps prevent skin irritation. The natural formula includes organic aloe vera to provide the skin with essential moisture, offering a hydrating and nourishing effect. Organic mallow not only helps improve skin tone but also soothes the skin. With a lightweight texture, it gently refreshes the skin, laying the foundation for your skincare routine.
Serum Recommendation:
Evolve Beauty Hyaluronic Acid 200 Serum
An award-winning, high-purity hyaluronic acid moisture serum! This serum is highly effective in moisturizing, smoothing the skin, and is suitable for sensitive skin. Dermatologically tested, it hydrates the skin from within, promotes skin cell regeneration, and the pomegranate extract softens and protects the skin. This serum is particularly beneficial for conditioning skin with acne issues or blemishes.
Moisturizer Recommendation:
Evolve Beauty Pro+ Ectoin Moisturizer
A daily moisturizer designed for sensitive skin, formulated with low-irritation natural ingredients. Birch mushroom extract helps enhance skin elasticity, while camellia oil reduces redness, protects the skin, restores moisture, and soothes issues of dryness, flakiness, and sensitivity. Clinical studies have confirmed that Ectoin prevents DNA and collagen damage caused by pollution, repairs the skin barrier, and has no side effects, making it especially suitable for sensitive and dry skin.
4. Pregnancy Pigmentation and Blemish Appearance
Pregnancy brings along this interesting phenomenon where your body decides to play with melanin levels, thanks to the hormonal rollercoaster. This often results in the appearance of those charming pigmentations — sometimes scattered across the face like a constellation or showing up in unexpected places on your body. Let’s not forget the belly, going through its own stretch and pull show, leaving behind the souvenirs we call stretch marks.
Now, as much as you’re navigating these changes, it’s crucial to be mindful of skincare ingredients. Steer clear of ingredients like vitamin A derivatives, salicylic acid, and hydroquinone – they’re not exactly the best friends for your little one. If you’re looking to jazz up your skin’s mood, load up on vitamin C and E from goodies like tomatoes and citrus fruits. They’re like the cheerleaders for skin health and an even complexion. Don’t forget to give UV rays a cold shoulder and make sunscreen your BFF.
Eye Serum Recommendation:
Evolve Beauty Hyaluronic Eye Complex
This eye serum combines three functions in one, aiding in the reduction of the appearance of dark circles. The formulation includes hyaluronic acid to fill fine lines, jasmine plant cells for skin brightening, reducing dark circles and puffiness, and organic cucumber extract for a cooling effect to help eliminate under-eye bags. The metal roller design allows for massaging the skin around the eyes, leaving your eyes bright and captivating.
SPF Recommendation:
Evolve Beauty Daily Defence Cream SPF30
This daily face cream, offering SPF 30 protection, utilizes non-nano zinc oxide mineral to block UVA and UVB rays, preventing damage to the skin. It helps prevent free radicals, oxidative damage, and photoaging, promoting youthful skin. The formula includes cactus extract and hyaluronic acid for deep hydration and moisture retention.
Belly Care Recommendation:
SoKind Blissful Moments Belly Masks
These belly masks are crafted to completely cover the baby bump, providing the necessary moisture to reduce the formation of stretch marks. The formula includes a blend of natural plant extracts, leaving the skin feeling hydrated and relaxed after use, alleviating the intense swelling and tightness associated with a growing belly and diminishing the appearance of stretch marks.
Body Care Recommendation:
SoKind Love Lines Stretch Mark Balm
This body cream is specially designed for expectant mothers, incorporating various natural active ingredients to stimulate collagen production and restore skin elasticity. The formula is rich in plant-based antioxidants and potent fatty acid oils, easily absorbed by the skin, visibly improving dry skin conditions during pregnancy.
Extended Reading:
If you’re looking for more personal care products suitable for use during pregnancy, you can visit our pregnancy-safe section. There, you can browse and purchase items tailored to the needs of expectant mothers, including shampoo, toothpaste, body wash, and body lotion. Choose products that cater to your specific requirements and enjoy a range of options designed to support your well-being during pregnancy.